Faulty boiler likely source in family gas poisoning

SPRING LAKE -- A boiler in a home on Spring Lake is believed to have been the source of a carbon monoxide leak that hospitalized a family from Missouri on Thursday.

Spring Lake/Ferrysburg Police Department officials said inspectors believe the leak came from a basement boiler that provides hot water to an in-floor heating system for the home at 319 Lakeview. According to Spring Lake Village tax rolls, the home is owned by Melinda Johnson and Dee Stokes.

As of this morning, the name of the Missouri family staying at the home had not been released. Spring Lake Fire Chief Rick Nuvill said the father and mother, their two sons and daughter were treated at North Ottawa Community Hospital and were expected to recover.

Fire officials responded to a call of a possible carbon monoxide leak around 8 a.m. Thursday. Upon arrival, they found the home had carbon monoxide levels of 400 parts per million, more than 10 times the level considered dangerous.

The children were unconscious and the mother and father were disoriented when rescuers arrived. The children, all believed to be younger than 10, were revived at the scene before being taken to the hospital. Officials said two children were discovered unresponsive by their parents before a call to Central Dispatch was made. According to records, the 911 call was made by Dee Stokes.